Rajaion's Revelation:Chapter Two
Disclaimer I do not own Fire Emblem, and if I did this would be an actual scene. Author's Note: Introduction Still not much intro needed. Just read! Also, in this chapter I'm especially worried about OOCness. What do you think? Chapter Body “Soren?” Ike approached cautiously, noting the stack of tomes on the edge of the table. He had found Soren exactly where he thought he would be: in the back corner of the library in which Soren had created his own personal tactician’s nook, staking out the table topped with a full map of Tellius and stockpiling all his reference books, maps, charts, ledgers, and everything else nearby. Soren himself was leaning on the table, glaring holes in its color-coded surface. “Yes, Ike? Is there something I can help you with?” the mage said tightly. It sounded like he was making a supreme effort to force his voice to sound calm. The swordsman took a few slow and deliberate steps closer. “I was actually going to ask you the same thing.” There was no response, so he continued, pleadingly now, “Soren, just talk to me. Tell me what’s going on in your head. I know talking it out and explaining things to me helps you think.” The tactician let out a breath slowly, his head turned away from his longtime friend. “I just don’t know, Ike. If it’s true, there are so many implications to consider. So many explanations it provides. But before I even want to think about all that, I have to know if it’s true or not.” By the end, he had fixed his gaze on Ike’s. So conflicted, longing for closure but also dreading the ramifications. Soren was not often uncertain about anything, and it looked so out of place on his features. Ike nodded. “Okay, so how do we find out if it’s true or not?” He leaned on the table next to his companion. “We can’t. It’s all personal accounts, and most of the people who were involved aren’t around to give them anymore. Obviously only a few people knew about Ashnard’s heir and most of them are dead now, and likewise there aren’t any living people who would be able to tell me about my past.” Now that he was speaking logically, Soren seemed much more in control. Ike just had to keep asking the right questions. “But on the other hand, there’s no evidence that it ISN’T true. No one can prove that I was born somewhere else, and it’s doubtful anyone would want to claim me anyway. And I must admit, some of the pieces fit really well.” His brow furrowed in concentration as he thought about that. Ike sat down on the couch that he had once dragged into the nook (Soren would have been content to stand all the time, but Ike had insisted they have somewhere to sit), taking up a relaxed demeanor that he hoped his companion would emulate. “You know, even if we can’t prove it to be true beyond a shadow of a doubt, it still only matters that people believe it. Rajaion believes it, and he could very well be convincing everyone else right now. Even if you don’t believe it 100%, you kind of have to act as if it’s true, since other people believe.” “Huh. You’re right. Group concurrence still trumps factual evidence.” He looked at Ike, who gestured to the seat next to him, and the mage took the suggestion instinctively, busy being lost in thought. He still had a habit of thinking out loud, though, at least when it was his trusted commander who was listening. “If everyone in that room knows, they will expect me to take over as the ruler of Daein,” he stated simply. A head of blue hair tilted sideways, considering this. “I suppose they might. They kind of have to, after all, since that’s the way a hereditary monarchy works. They really can’t complain about who’s next in line.” “Not entirely true. Since Daein is a conquered nation, Crimea could lay claim to it and probably send a governor to oversee things. Likewise if Princess Elincia chooses to hand over the conquest to Begnion. If the lost heir remains lost, no one would complain about someone else being put in charge.” Ike sat up a little straighter. “Soren, you’re not actually considering giving up the title, are you? Actively pursuing obscurity? Going back to the simple mercenary life?” Soren raised an eyebrow at him and pursed his lips. “Isn’t that the same thing you’re planning on doing with your Lord’s title? You could ask for any position you want and Elincia would give it to you. You could even ask to be the governor of conquered Daein, if you wished. You could have all the power of a king, but you would still give it up. So of course I can do the same.” Momentarily stumped, the commander could only sputter. “But…” he scratched the back of his head. “That’s different. I was only given a title a few months ago, solely for the sake of the war. It’s not really mine…” The ebony-haired mage raised his eyebrow again. “Your father was one of the Four Riders. You have a birthright of title and power in Daein.” He knew he had Ike in a verbal checkmate now. “You father was King Ashnard! That’s kind of a different thing!” Ike shot back in desperation. As soon as he said it, though, he wished he could take it back. They hadn’t really addressed the biggest issue, that being the fact of being related to “the Mad King.” And Soren tensed right up again at such an abrupt reminder. “I’m sorry, that was tactless. I didn’t mean it that way…” The Branded shook his head slowly. “No, it’s all right. Someone needed to say it.” There was a long silent moment, so heavy that it felt like Ashnard’s presence was somehow in the room. Then Ike broke it with the whispered request, “Tell me what you’re thinking.” The tactician collected his thoughts and began to speak. “I think that’s the hardest part of all this. I never expected to find out who my parents are, but I could easily have dealt with any tragic story of star-crossed lovers or some such foolishness, who had been split up or killed or simply left me somewhere so they could pretend it never happened. I know it would take an …unusual person to go against the norm like that to be with the opposite race… But I never suspected that my father would turn out to be somebody known as ‘the Mad King.’” And he continued in a softer voice, so that Ike barely even heard it, “And I wonder what that means about me…” “Hey now, Soren, it’s okay.” The swordsman shifted closer to his companion and wrapped his arms around the mage. “This doesn’t change who you are. You are still, as you always have been, the product of your own efforts and your own experiences. More than anyone else I know, you made an effort to build yourself up and improve your skills and be the best you can be. That hasn’t changed, you’re still you.” The mage leaned in to his commander’s hug, gripping the fabric of his shirt in one slender hand. His voice was still subdued as he replied, “I know, Ike. But what does it mean for my future? Am I destined to go crazy, too?” Ike fought the urge to chuckle out loud. “No, Soren, you’re not going to go crazy. You’re going to be just as rational and practical as you always have been.” He rubbed soothing circles on the mage’s back. “Besides, the Medallion was right under your nose for years. If you were going to go THAT crazy, it would have happened already.” This time he did allow himself a little laugh. Despite his mood—or because of the strangeness of it—Soren couldn’t help responding with the tiniest of laughs of his own. “But, Ike… I think I’m already like him. I don’t treat others very nicely, and sometimes I just feel like I’m using them as tools to win battles with. I’m ruthless with my strategies and even more so when I’m on the battlefield myself. You of all people know how many men I’ve killed, and the way I don’t even care. I’ve seen our own allies shy away from me during a fight just because they don’t want to see what I do to my victims; don’t think I don’t know that they talk around the camp about how cold and heartless I am. I’m too much like him already…” His voice was practically trembling by the end. “Hey, no, shh…” Ike immediately objected. “Don’t think of it that way. Think of it like…” he trailed off, thinking, while he kept the mage’s head tucked under his chin. “…Well, you just wouldn’t be you if you weren’t like that. And it’s obviously not his doing, because he didn’t teach you to be that way. You learned to be a brilliant, practically-minded strategist because that’s what the company needed, and you worked hard to help us out as best you could—never mind what people say about your tactics being ‘heartless’ because they work, don’t they? And I’m sure we would lose a lot more lives if not for you.” He was rambling now, and he knew it, but he just felt like he had to keep going until he said something that made everything okay. “Your ability to see things logically is a gift, Soren, don’t forget it. Don’t ever think that you’re a bad person for that, because that’s exactly why I need you around! Together we make the perfect team… And we defeated King Ashnard! Just think, Soren, without your amazing tactical skills in our planning meetings, and your amazing magic skills on the battlefield, and, yes, even your ability to put aside empathy and be ruthless when need be—without all that, we wouldn’t have been able to bring Ashnard down. You used your powers for good, and made the world a better place. Remember that, okay? Always remember that.” Soren took a deep, shuddering breath, as if he were trying to hold back tears. “Thank you, Ike,” he spoke in a slightly trembling voice, “I think that was exactly what I needed to hear.” The swordsman shifted their bodies around so they could both rest more comfortably in the embrace. He held his little tactician and stroked his hair until the pale mage calmed down. Author's Note: Conclusion I know I said this is only mild Ike/Soren, but I must say: Ike is TOTALLY getting laid by royalty tonight, and it’s certainly not Elincia! So there's chapter two. Last chapter up soon. Chapter 3